HEALTH CARE

When travelling please always make sure you have HEALTH and TRAVEL insurance.

TIPS:

1) Check beforehand where you can be treated using your health insurance. The Costa del Sol Hospital is the public hospital, but there are plenty of private practices and hospitals, QUIRON (Was the USP), Zanit and Hospiten to name a few

2) Bring the paper work with you. Check if the claims form has to be signed/stamped by the establishment where you were treated and remember to take it with you and your passport. This will just make the process easier, although in utter emergencies the Costa del Sol hospital will treat you without the paperwork first (So we’ve been told)

3) If you are EUROPEAN sign up for the EHIC - European Health Insurance Card – The EHIC covers accidents and just about every medical emergency. It gives all EU citizens whilst here on holiday free of charge, or reduced cost access to all state medical treatment. Please check your local travel authority or National Health Service for more information on how to apply or renew. You can use any PUBLIC medical centre (Centro medico / Ambulatorio) or hospital. Before being seen you MUST STATE that you have this card and check you are in a public health care establishment. Please note the EHIC is not an alternative to health insurance. For more information please visit your local health authority's website.

4) Pharmacies (Farmacia) – Every town should have a 24 hour pharmacy and most have 1 or 2 12 hour ones. You can buy medication, prescription and non prescription, only in pharmacies. Do not confuse Para-farmacia with farmacias. A para-farmacia (Ground floor Corte Ingles) still can not sell medication, but it does sell herbal remedies, baby equipment and food, shampoos, creams and gels etc.